Fiero won't time correctly

Year: 1987
Model: Fiero GT
Engine: V6

Problem: I recently took the heads off and the distributer off. I've finally got everything back together and it runs. I wanted to set the base timing so I put it in diagnostic mode, started it up and started to retard the timing. If I were looking from the PS of the car I find that it runs well at about an inch to the left of the timing indicator (the toothed area that shows the degrees). Once I get anywhere near the 10 degree mark the car idles too low and cuts out. I also noticed that when I'm coming up on TDC I have a thin line near the indicators not the thick one like everything I read says I should so during timing the light is flashing on this one.

I just purchased this car last week (Knowing it would be a long road) so I don't know much about the engine's history.

I'm hoping someone has some ideas.

Dave

I think I may have figured it out. Randomly while I was trying to sleep... Keep in mind that I just purchased this care about 3 weeks ago. Whomever owned it did some silly stuff and I have a feeling they changed the timing chain an did not align everything up correctly. I did this on my Jetta and I remember not being able to get the timing to line up correctly. Could the the chain being off a notch cause the timing to be off?

Sure it would......did you follow the "procedure" for adjusting the rocker arms/push rods correctly?

Been a long time since I worked on a Fiero V-6.......recalls were nightmares, if an ex manifold bolt broke.....had to use a special template and a rt angle drill to get the bolt threads out....no room....if you couldn't get them out, the head had to come off.....

Getting in and out of a Fiero, is akin to the same experience as a Solstice.....if it's a standard, and you have long legs like moi, I had to have other guys drive the car into the shop for me....